How automotive brands are using artificial intelligence in PR and marketing

As AI plays a bigger role in how different industries operate, we wanted to take a look at how automotive brands could, and should, be integrating AI into their PR and marketing efforts. 

The Government recently announced AI strategy shows the intention to make AI an important part of finding efficiencies and unlocking more opportunities for productivity. But let’s not forget that it is a rapidly evolving landscape, with the news this week around DeepSeek and its impact on US tech firms could continue to reshape how AI is adopted and used – meaning staying up to date with the latest developments is more important than ever. 

Despite the mainstream hype and the turbulence, many industries, such as automotive, are already seamlessly introducing AI into their everyday operations, from the initial design stage of the vehicle, to self-driving cars, all the way through to when they reach out to consumers with their PR and marketing activities.  

So where are we currently with AI and how it is used in automotive and communications? From social influencers who are pure figments of imagination but attract millions of followers, through to images which are limitless in their creation, here are just some of the ways the car industry is embracing AI. 

AI images  

As a famous phrase says, a picture can paint a thousand words, so no wonder that AI is being used in the automotive arena to develop video and imagery. 

Used appropriately, AI can enhance storytelling with images, infographics, music, video, etc, while offering previously unseen levels of creativeness and customisation at a super-fast speed. 

AI’s strength is its ability to allow creativity without limitation. There’s already a raft of AI generation tools that allow the creation of totally new, unique and lifelike images simply by inputting carefully crafted instructions. AI can help bring an idea to life, visualise what an event could look like, or accompany web content – just like we have done in our image visualising ‘Red Marlin’s Guide to AI’ – completely AI-generated using text prompts.

Key to remember is that it needs high-quality inputs, clear instructions and continuous refinement, after all, ‘rubbish in’ means ‘rubbish out’. 

However, AI is not a replacement for human creativity or storytelling in design, and we work with some fantastic designers whose skills, passion and experience are irreplaceable when trying to convey a creative and impactful narrative visually. 

AI influencer marketing 

Want an A-list influencer but not sure who is the right fit for your audience? The solution could be to create your own. 

For the launch of the all-electric iX2 model, BMW collaborated with virtual influencer Lil Miquela who is an entirely digital ‘personality’ and has a huge global social audience of more than 8 million followers. The campaign saw Lil Miquela step out of the Metaverse to experience the real world and is a great example of using AI while retaining the all-important human touch.  

This is a great example of how Influencers can now be created using AI, with hyper targeted visuals and messaging to gain traction with specific audiences. 

There’s no doubt that AI holds a host of exciting opportunities which we are embracing, which can work in tandem with human influencers who cultivate strong, authentic and trusted relationships with their audience, which cannot be undervalued. 

AI-driven PR 

With AI increasingly playing a role in the user experience in the actual vehicles, it is also being used beyond the product, and reshaping the marketing and business development efforts of automotive manufacturers. 

For example, Toyota, is investing in new ventures linked to AI, meaning they are not just ‘car makers’, but they have the freedom to explore other areas of mobility. The Toyota Ventures arm of the business is involved with cloud technology, smart cities, digital tech and climate tech, among other areas.  

This means they can lead AI-driven PR campaigns, where AI is not just a tool, but is a key selling point by brands to position themselves as leaders in technological advancements. 

AI communications as a ‘sounding board’ 

AI’s importance can already be seen in how it is changing the job market. It is becoming a ‘thinking partner’ or ‘sounding board’ to help creative professionals workshop ideas and build new skills.   

New specialisms and roles are emerging such as AI trainer, prompt engineer, generative design specialists and input output managers. These are jobs, which until a few years, were unheard of, but will be crucial to get the best out of the tools.

For example, some tools will not be best used for content creation, but would be more effective to spark starting points for creative discussions, or helping to tailor content for different audiences – with all prompts and outputs always guided and cultivated by a human. 

Here at Red Marlin we appreciate that AI tools offer enormous potential to support our own skills and creativity, and are constantly growing, improving and changing, which is why we are always striving to learn more. They are tools to be used, and optimised, with irreplaceable human expertise and insight. 

Looking forward, it will be fascinating to be involved with car makers to help them get the best out of AI’s power without eliminating the need for imagination and creativity that only humans can bring to the party.  

Contact us to find out how Red Marlin can utilise its skill and vast automotive PR experience  to deliver a high-end service and place you, and your message, in front of your target audience.